The present invention relates to an iron-type golf club head and particular to an iron-type golf club head having an improved outer perimeter weight configuration.
It is well know that iron-type golf club heads that have an outer perimeter weight tend to be more forgiving when shots are miss hit, thereby imparting more energy to the ball struck off of the center of percussion. There has been a trend in the golf club industry to provide larger golf club heads in order to further extend the peripheral weight to achieve peripheral weighting characteristics.
The present invention relates to an iron-type golf club head having a secondary outermost perimeter weight configuration in the form of a keel-shaped weight member extending at least part way around and outwardly from the club head. The keel-shaped weight member locates more mass outwardly from the center of percussion to the outer periphery while eliminating the need for actually enlarging the overall profile of a standard size club head. The keel-shaped weight member may extend from the lower heel area across the sole surface, up the toe portion and across the top ridge surface, thereby defining a more effective weight distribution around the outer periphery of the club head all the way to the point where the club head is attached to the hosel.
The keel-shaped weight configuration, which in this preferred embodiment, practically surrounds the entire hitting area of the club face, cooperates with the peripheral mass of the club head creating a unitized outer weight configuration heretofore unknown in the golf club art. This arrangement of weight provides a most effective and precise distribution of mass thereby permitting an optimum transfer of energy to the entire hitting area of the club face while substantially enlarging the sweet spot and making it greater than a comparably sized club head. The unitized outer weight configuration provides greater club head control and increased stability at impact, regardless of where the ball contact is made on the club face, resulting in less torque and turning of the club head during the execution of the shot. The elongated longitudinal shape of the outer weight member, on the sole portion of the club head, also acts as a deflector or skimmer, allowing the club head to glide smoothly over the turf when making ground contact rather than bouncing causing a thin shot or embedding the leading edge into the ground. This bouncing or embedding results in decreased club head speed and possible adverse or painful sensations which can be caused by the shock and vibrations that occur when ground contact occurs.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a conventional golf club head is provided with a keel-shaped outermost longitudinal weight member located approximately mid-way between the front and rear of the club head, and around most, if not all, the entire peripheral edge of the club head. The outermost weight member may be rectangular, circular, semi-circular or any other geometrical shape providing minimum aerodynamic and ground contact drag. Preferably, the outermost keel weight configuration will transition into the hosel providing a much more rigid, unitized connection between the hosel and the club body to further solidify the connection between the club head body and the hosel thereby allowing maximum transfer of power generated from the hands and arms of the player, through the shaft hosel and into the club head itself.
In another preferred embodiment, the outermost keel-shaped weight member may extend around the entire outer periphery of the club head including the top ridge area.
Alternately, the outermost weight member may extend part way along the sole of the club head as well as extending part way from the sole surface into the heel and toe areas of the club head. The outermost keel weight may be positioned close to the front or close to the rear surface of the club head, depending upon the desired performance characteristics of the individual club head.
In other embodiments, the outermost keel-shaped weight configuration is formed on only a portion of the sole. Other embodiments use an outermost keel-shaped weight which extends part way along the toe portion and heel or hosel portions of the club head.
It will be appreciated that the provision of the outermost, keel-shaped weight configuration may be equally applicable to golf club heads having a flat or muscle back configuration.
Among the objects of the present invention are the provision of an iron-type golf club head having improved weight characteristics. Another object is the provision of a iron-type golf club head having an increased outermost peripheral weight structure which allows maximum transfer of energy to a golf ball, particularly when it is struck off of the center of percussion.
Still another object of the present invention is the provision of an outermost peripheral weight configuration formed on the sole surface of the golf club head which acts to stabilize the club head and prevent or minimize it from being embedded deeply into the turf during the execution of a golf shot.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following specification and drawings.